Method of working tartan or gingham on canvas

ABSTRACT

A method of preparing a canvas for needlework, and of making a tartan or gingham pattern on canvas, comprises tramming both horizontal and vertical rows of canvas to form an intersection of yarn which defines the combination of colors and the boundaries of the pattern. The yarn is secured to the canvas with yarn of the same colors used in the trame to complete the pattern.

United States Patent 1 Hower Dec. 18, 1973 [54] METHOD OF WORKING TARTAN0R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS GINGHAM ON CANVAS 149 468 5/1937Austria .1 112/266 [76] Inventor: Sara Hower, 101 Manorview Rd., 73.3391/1894 Germany .7 112/266 Scott Township, Pa. 15220 P maryExaminer-Werner H. Schroeder [22] Flied' June 1972 Aii0rne v-William H.Logsdon [21] Appi. No.: 262,483

[57] ABSTRACT 52 us. Cl. 112/262 A method of Preparing a canvas forneedlework, a 51 Int. Cl. D05b 95/00, D05b 97/00 of making a tartan or gg pattern on canvas, 58 Field of Search 112/78, 116, 262, Comprisestramming both horizontal and vertical ro 112/266 439 of canvas to forman intersection of yarn which defines the combination of colors and theboundaries of [56] References Cit d the pattern. The yarn is secured tothe canvas with UNITED STATES PATENTS yarn of the same colors used inthe tram to complete the pattern. 1,869,386 8/[932 Marzak 112/266 X1,185,245 5/1916 Sadtler 112/266 X 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 ll l2 B B B R B R R B B B B B Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y B B'B R B R R B B B B B 2 e I e G e e G e G e e G 5 R B B i/ G G G G G G s 66 6 6 6 B B B B B B B B B 4 R R R R R R R R R R R R /10 B B B R B R R BB B B B- B 5 s e s e s e e e e e G e 6 B B B R B R B B B B B B B B B B BB B B B B 7 R R R R R R R R R R R R R 8 B B B R B R R B B B B B B G G GG G G G G G G G G G 9 B B B R B R R B B B B B B G G G G G G G G G G G GG B B B R B R R B B B B B B e s e e e e s G e e e e e METHOD OF WORKINGTARTAN OR GINGHAM ON CANVAS This invention relates to needlework andparticularly to a method of hand stitching a canvas to producemulti-colored patterns thereon. My method is especially applicable tomaking tartan plaid patterns on canvas, such as a pattern on the AndrewCarnegie Memorial Kneeler which is presently lodged in St. Johns Chapelof the National Cathedral in Washington, D. C.

The art of needlework is many centuries old. In that time, many hundredsof different hand stitches have been used. While a complete listing ofall the stitches is not feasible, most of the basic, often-used stitchesare cataloged, for example in the Dictionary of Embroidery Stiches,Thomas, I-Iodder and Stoughton Ltd. (London, 1965) and in Needlepointfor Everyone, Picken and White, Harper and Row (New York, 1970).

A number of different methods have been used in canvas work to determinewhere the stitches are to be placed on the canvas to produce the desiredfinal colored needlework pattern. In one case, the canvas itself hasbeen colored by oil paint or silk screening to identit'y where a stitchis to be placed as well as what color yarn is to be used in the stitch.Another method is the art of tram by which colors to be worked on canvaswith a needle are indicated. Trame' is an underlay of colored yarnplaced over the horizontal meshes in a canvas, usually a double threadcanvas.

Particularly in making tartan plaids and gingham, since tartan plaidsrequire yarns of at least two or more colors and gingham requires yarnsof two colors, specific stitch and color identification on a canvas ofeither single or double mesh is extremely difficult. Considerable timeand patience is involved in making a plaid pattern on a canvas since ithas been necessary to use a written pattern, such as a chart, and tocount spaces in a canvas to determine correspondence of the chart andthe canvas. The oil painting or silk screen method of preparing canvasis not applicable to plaids and horizontal tram alone will not result ina plaid pattern.

I have invented a method of preparing a canvas for needlework, and ofmaking a tartan or gingham needlework pattern on canvas using aplurality of colored yarns selected according to a predeterminedarrangement, comprising tramming at least one horizontal row of canvaswith a first yarn, tramming at least one vertical row of canvas with asecond yarn forming an intersection of the yarn on the canvas. Beginningat the intersection formed by the first and second yarn, the yarn issecured to the canvas by stitching two yarns simultaneously about theintersection, one of the yarns corresponding in color to one of theintersecting yarns and the other of the yarns corresponding in color tothe other of the intersecting yarns at the intersection being covered.That is, the intersection is covered with a thread of the first yarn anda thread of the second yarn simultaneously stitched thereto. Theintersection of the yarns, therefore, defines the combination of colorsin the pattern and the boundaries of the pattern.

Preferably, the tramming is done in the horizontal and vertical threadsof the canvas mesh, as will be explained in further detail. However, themethod is also applicable to making a tartan plaid or gingham pattern byorienting each of two lines of trammed yarn, which are perpendicular toand intersect each other, at an angle such as 45, to the selvage of thecanvas. In the latter case, one line is placed on the canves in adiagonal, similar to the known web stitch or laid work, and a secondline is trammed so as to intersect with it to form an intersection ofyarn which also identifies the colors to be used in making the patternand the boundaries of the pattern. I

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, as an example, a section ofcanvas prepared according to my invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary section of a chart diagramming a part of apattern to be made of the canvas;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a part of a prepared tartan plaidpattern of yarn of four different colors;

FIG. 3 is an enlargement of the circle III of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the circle IV of FIG. 2 showing aconventional stitch applied to the canvas prepared according to myinvention.

Cross sections of the individual yarns used in the example and theirrespective colors are shown adjacent FIGS. 2 and 3.

In all of the Figures the canvas shown is double mesh canvas; however,my method is equally applicable to single mesh canvas. Double meshcanvas is preferred because the yarn is held more tightly in the canvas,but experienced needleworkers can obtain the same excellent results onsingle mesh canvas. Single mesh canvas of sizes 12, 14 or 16 and doublemesh canvas of size 10 are preferable.

Referring to FIG. 1, the chart 10 indicates a part of the pattern to beapplied to the canvas. While the form of the chart is not a part of mymethod, I did originate the particular type of chart shown for use indoing and teaching needlework. The section of chart 10 includes a numberof horizontal and vertical rows which I have numbered for convenience ofdescription. Each row includes a number of blocks 11. Within each blockis at least one letter which identifies a color, for example Y=yellow,G=green, B=blue, and R ed. The color indicated by a block letter is thesame as the color of the yarn to be used in the corresponding space on acanvas 12 shown in FIG. 2. Where two letters appear in a single block inchart 10, two colors of yarn are to be used in the corresponding spaceon canvas 12. Where one color appears in a single block, as in block 13in chart 10, two yarns of the same color are to be used in thecorresponding space in canvas 12.

I-Ieretofore, it has been extremely tedious for needleworkers to locatethe space in the canvas 12 corresponding to a block on a chart likechart 10 since each block and space had to be counted. By my method,this labor is reduced considerably.

The double mesh canvas 12 shown in FIG. 2 comprises horizontal andvertical rows of mesh, known as the weft or woof and warp, respectively.The horizontal mesh extends normal to selvage 14 of the canvas while thevertical mesh runs parallel to it. Each horizontal mesh 15 and verticalmesh 16 is spaced closer to one next to it on one side than it is to amesh next to it on the other side. For example, vertical mesh 17 iscloser to mesh 16 than mesh 17 is to mesh 18. This uneven spacing in themesh permits yarn which is stitched between the closer meshes to becaught and held by the canvas resulting in a tight pattern.

In making a tartan plaid of yarn of four colors such as yellow, green,blue and red yarn as indicated in chart 10, a single yarn of each coloris selected for tramming. I prefer to use tram initially in thehorizontal mesh; however, either the horizontal or vertical mesh may betrammed first, so long as one is completed before the other is begun.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, as in horizontal tram, a thread of yellowyarn 19 is passed with a needle, preferably a type of tapestry needle,from beneath the canvas 12 through opening 20 formed between closelyspaced threads 21 and 22 of the mesh horizontally across the top of thecanvas to opening 23. The yarn is then passed down through opening 23and from beneath the canvas up through opening 24 to catch it and thencontinued across the top of the canvas in accordance with the chart 10.Openings 23 and 24 are not fixed but are selected an appropriatedistance from the beginning to anchor the yarn in the canvas. As thetram is continued across the canvas, additional stitches are takenthrough the canvas for the same purpose.

A single line of tram is ended at the space where the pattern ends, suchas at opening 25. If the chart 10 calls for the same color to be used inanother horizontal row, the same yarn can be passed beneath the canvasfrom one vertically spaced horizontal row to another and that rowtrammed as before. For example, a thread of green yarn 26 is passed fromhorizontal row 2 to horizontal row 3. The same procedure can be followeduntil a single yarn is completely used or the yarn may be severed at anypoint where it is secured in the canvas. As seen in FIG. 2 and accordingto the chart 10, only the first horizontal row is trammed with yellowyarn 19. Once completed, a different color yarn, such as green yarn, isselected pursuant to the chart for continued horizontal tramming of thecanvas. In this case, green yarn is used to trame' horizontal rows 2 and3 and while red yarn 27 is used to tram horizontal rows 4 and 6. Thesame procedure as described with regard to the yellow yarn is followed.Tramming of row 3 proceeds from right to left as viewed in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3, I have enlarged a portion of the pattern to show clearly themanner in which this embodiment of my method is carried out. The greenyarn 26 used to trame' horizontal row 2 passes over the canvas betweenthreads 28 and 29 of the mesh to opening 30. The yarn is then passedbeneath vertical threads 31 and 32 of the mesh and up through opening 33in the canvas. Each horizontal row is similarly trammed.

When the entire pattern is trammed in the horizontal rows on the canvas,vertical tramming is begun. A thread 34 of yarn of blue color may beselected as indicated by the chart however, vertical tramming may bestarted at any convenient place. As shown, for example, in row 4 ofFIGS. 2 and 3, a thread 35 of red yarn is stitched from beneath thecanvas through opening 36 between vertical threads 37 and 38 of mesh andover the top of canvas 12 to opening 39 where a stitch is taken downthrough opening 39 and up through opening 40 to anchor or catch the yarnin the canvas. The single line of tram is continued to the edge of thepattern. Additional stitches may be taken at appropriate points, such as41, along the canvas. The first three vertical rows, as shown by chart10, are trammed with blue yarn as is row 5. In the example, red yarn istrammed in vertical rows 4 and 6. The ends of a line of tram may be leftextending from the body of the pattern as is yarn 19, or they may be cutat the edge of the pattern. The remainder of the pattern is verticallytrammed according to the same procedure.

At this stage, the canvas is prepared for the finishing stitchingcomprising covering the trammed canvas with individually stitched yarnsof the required colors using conventional stitches, for example tent orhalf-cross stitches such as the continental, rep or diagonal stitches.In the case of a right-handed needleworker, the individual stitches aretaken from the lower left of an intersection formed by the trammedhorizontal and vertical yarn to the upper right of the same intersectionon the canvas; for a left-handed worker, the converse IS true.

Assuming a right-handed needleworker, two yarns of colors correspondingto the colors of the yarns intersection at a point on the canvas areselected and threaded together in a needle. As shown in FIG. 4, a tentstitch 42 of the two yarns is then taken at such intersection, forexample, over two yarns 43 and 44 forming the intersection from spae 45through space 46 in the canvas 12 to secure them to the canvas.Successive stitches of the same type are made about every intersectionhaving yarns of the selected two colors. The yarn may be severed orcarried beneath the canvas for short spaces from intersection tointersection maintaining the generally lower left corner to upper righthand direction of the tent stitches.

The technique of using two yarns of the same color as those at anintersection of trammed yarns, stitched simultaneously, is followed tocomplete the pattern. It should be noted that the lines of the trammedyarns forming an intersection may be of the same color, as shown by thesingle letter in block 13 of chart l0 and the corresponding intersectionin FIG. 4, in which event two yarns of the same color are tent stitchedto the canvas. The needlework is completed by conventionally blockingand mounting the canvas as desired.

Preparation of a canvas for needleworking according to my methodfacilitates finishing the pattern in a much shorter time than byfollowing a chart and counting spaces. Thus, canvas may be marketed asprepared and the hobbyist may work the pattern at leisurle.

Having described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to beunderstood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of preparing a canvas for a needlework pattern of tartan orgingham using a plurality of colored yarns selected according to apredetermined arrangement comprising the steps of:

A. tramming at least a line of a first yarn on the canvas,

B. tramming at least another line of a second yarn on the canvas, thelines being perpendicular to each other and intersecting on the canvas,said intersecting yarns identifying the yarns to be used to cover theintersection to make at least a portion of the pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 in which one line is trammed in a horizontalrow of the canvas and the other line is trammed in a vertical row of thecanvas.

3. The method of claim 1 including completing the needlework pattern bytramming all of the lines of yarn in the pattern and by stitching twoyarns simultaneously about each intersection, one of the yarnscorresponding in color to one of the intersecting yarns and the other ofthe yarns corresponding in color to the other of the intersecting yarnsat the intersection being covered.

4. A method of preparing a canvas for a needlework pattern of tartan orgingham using a plurality of colored yarns selected according to apredetermined arrangement comprising the steps of:

A. tramming at least one horizontal row of canvas with a first yarn,

B. tramming at least one vertical row of canvas with a second yarnintersecting the first yarn on the canvas, said intersecting yarnsidentifying the yarns to be used to cover the intersection to completeat least a portion of the pattern.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the first yarn is of a color differentfrom the color of the second yarn.

6. The method of claim 4 in which the canvas is a double mesh canvas.

7. A method of making a needlework pattern of tartan or gingham oncanvas using a plurality of colored yarns selected according to apredetermined arrangement comprising the steps of A. preparing thecanvas by:

1. tramming at least one horizontal row of canvas with a first yarn, and

2. tramming at least one vertical row of canvas with a second yarnintersecting with said first yarn on said canvas; and

B. completing the pattern by:

l. tramming all of the lines of yarn, and

2. stitching two yarns simultaneously about each intersection, one ofthe yarns corresponding in color to one of the yarns forming theintersection and the other of the yarns corresponding in color to theother of the yarns forming the intersection to be covered.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 in which the pattern is a tartanplaid and yarns of more than two different colors are used in formingsaid pattern.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 in which the canvas is a doublemesh canvas.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 and including completing thepreparation of the canvas by tramming all of the lines of yarn toprovide a plurality of intersections of yarn, each of which comprisestwo yarns identifying the yarns to be used to cover said intersection tocomplete the needlework pattern.

1. A method of preparing a canvas for a needlework pattern of tartan orgingham using a plurality of colored yarns selected according to apredetermined arrangement comprising the steps of: A. tramming at leasta line of a first yarn on the canvas, B. tramming at least another lineof a second yarn on the canvas, the lines being perpendicular to eachother and intersecting on the canvas, said intersecting yarnsidentifying the yarns to be used to cover the intersection to make atleast a portion of the pattern.
 2. The method of claim 1 in which oneline is trammed in a horizontal row of the canvas and the other line istrammed in a vertical row of the canvas.
 2. tramming at least onevertical row of canvas with a second yarn intersecting with said firstyarn on said canvas; and B. completing the pattern by:
 2. stitching twoyarns simultaneously abouT each intersection, one of the yarnscorresponding in color to one of the yarns forming the intersection andthe other of the yarns corresponding in color to the other of the yarnsforming the intersection to be covered.
 3. The method of claim 1including completing the needlework pattern by tramming all of the linesof yarn in the pattern and by stitching two yarns simultaneously abouteach intersection, one of the yarns corresponding in color to one of theintersecting yarns and the other of the yarns corresponding in color tothe other of the intersecting yarns at the intersection being covered.4. A method of preparing a canvas for a needlework pattern of tartan orgingham using a plurality of colored yarns selected according to apredetermined arrangement comprising the steps of: A. tramming at leastone horizontal row of canvas with a first yarn, B. tramming at least onevertical row of canvas with a second yarn intersecting the first yarn onthe canvas, said intersecting yarns identifying the yarns to be used tocover the intersection to complete at least a portion of the pattern. 5.The method of claim 4 in which the first yarn is of a color differentfrom the color of the second yarn.
 6. The method of claim 4 in which thecanvas is a double mesh canvas.
 7. A method of making a needleworkpattern of tartan or gingham on canvas using a plurality of coloredyarns selected according to a predetermined arrangement comprising thesteps of A. preparing the canvas by:
 8. A method as set forth in claim 7in which the pattern is a tartan plaid and yarns of more than twodifferent colors are used in forming said pattern.
 9. The method as setforth in claim 7 in which the canvas is a double mesh canvas.
 10. Themethod as set forth in claim 1 and including completing the preparationof the canvas by tramming all of the lines of yarn to provide aplurality of intersections of yarn, each of which comprises two yarnsidentifying the yarns to be used to cover said intersection to completethe needlework pattern.